Franz Peter Schubert

When we think of Schubert's vocal music, his six hundred lieder for a solo voice and piano are naturally what first come to mind. Conversely, his other vocal works are among the last things with which we associate him, despite the fact that this part of his oeuvre is by no means small! It embraces, for example, nineteen operas (including the singspiels) all of which are sadly more or less forgotten today. There are also some thirty sacred works, of which all the six masses are still frequently performed.

The full significance of Schubert's contribution to choral music was not recognized until generations later. The degree of musical excellence he imparted to the choral song in such a short space of time was seldom attained by his successors. Schubert's choral writing is extremely demanding for both performers and listeners.

This recording features wonderful performances by artists such as Krisztina Laki and Andreas Rothkopf.

These two famous recordings established the young Polish-born conductor Paul Kletzki on the world stage in the years immediately following the end of World War II. Both were recorded by English Columbia in 1946. Kletzki deputised in the Brahms symphony for Wilhelm Furtwangler – then still banned from conducting – and made such an impression that he was immediately engaged to come to London and record at Abbey Road with the newly-formed Philharmonia Orchestra. Both symphonies were originally issued on 78rpm discs and declared to the world that a new and important conductor had arrived. The playing from both hand-picked orchestras is superb, and the original recordings have been lovingly transferred so that – for the first time on CD - today’s music-lovers can recapture the excitement and deeply musical qualities that characterised Kletzki’s performances.